This section provides background information related to the present disclosure which is not necessarily prior art.
Fabricated rotor cores typically include three primary components, namely, a stack of laminations, rotor bars positioned within slots defined by the laminations, and two endrings positioned on opposite sides of the stack of laminations. Traditionally, the endrings have been formed by casting. To cast one of the endrings, a mold is positioned on top of the stack of laminations over ends of the rotor bars. Molten material is poured into the mold, and allowed to cool to form the endring. In order to mechanically bond and electrically connect the rotor bars to the endring, the endring is cast at a temperature sufficient to melt the ends of the rotor bars.